Toxic waste used again

Thursday

Aug 15, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Once again Team Services has been caught using toxic waste chemicals from oil and gas drilling as dust control on roads. According to the Record Eagle, Team Services sprayed 300,000 gallons of toxic fluid on 121 miles of roads in Benzie County. Testing showed levels of carcinogenic benzene and toluene 1,000 times higher than the legal limit.

Once again Team Services has been caught using toxic waste chemicals from oil and gas drilling as dust control on roads. According to the Record Eagle, Team Services sprayed 300,000 gallons of toxic fluid on 121 miles of roads in Benzie County. Testing showed levels of carcinogenic benzene and toluene 1,000 times higher than the legal limit.
This is a recurring story. One year ago, DEQ documents obtained through FOIA request confirmed that Team Services sprayed thousands of gallons of toxic, carcinogenic fracking fluid waste from gas wells on roads in Cheboygan and Kalkaska counties. Public outrage forced the DEQ to suspend permits for this type of “dust control” disposal for one year.
Now, a year later, they are at it again. And the penalty for getting caught – a verbal reprimand from the DEQ! How many other roads have been similarly sprayed? How much toluene, benzene and other deadly chemicals have seeped into groundwater from these sprayings? How many animals (including people’s pets) have gotten sick from drinking puddles of toxic fluid after a rain storm? How much vegetation has been destroyed? How will these chemicals affect area farms and homeowner water wells?
It’s time for the DEQ to do its job. Stop allowing the poisoning of our environment with oil and gas drilling chemicals.
Anne Zukowski
Co-chair, Don’t Frack Michigan